New york: UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Filippo Grandi warned that the plight of the Rohingyas will not end without bold action inside Myanmar, saying that the solution to the protracted crisis lies there (Myanmar).
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Grandi addressed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Conference on Rohingya Muslims and Other Minorities in Myanmar at the UN Headquarters, emphasizing that the crisis originates in Myanmar. He highlighted that unspeakable violence by Myanmar’s military forced 750,000 Rohingyas to flee to Bangladesh eight years ago, leaving others displaced in the Rakhine State.
Despite changes in the region, with the Arakan Army now controlling most of Rakhine State, Grandi stated that the situation for the Rohingyas has not improved. He pointed out the threats they face, including arbitrary arrest, restricted access to healthcare and education, forced labor, and recruitment, all exacerbated by racism and fear.
Grandi expressed gratitude towards Bangladesh for hosting nearly 1.2 million Rohingya refugees, with an additional 150,000 arriving since renewed fighting in 2024. He praised Bangladesh’s example of compassion in a time of widespread indifference and inaction.
He acknowledged the financial support from international institutions like the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, totaling over $1.25 billion, yet stressed the chronic underfunding of the humanitarian response in Bangladesh. Grandi cautioned that insufficient resources could lead to cuts in essential aid, risking child malnutrition and dangerous sea journeys for refugees.
Grandi urged the global community to increase funding, resettlement opportunities, education, and labor mobility pathways. He emphasized that humanitarian aid alone is insufficient to resolve the crisis and called for the implementation of recommendations from the Rakhine Advisory Commission to enable the voluntary, safe, and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees.
He appealed to influential countries to engage with Myanmar’s de facto authorities and the Arakan Army to secure humanitarian access and pursue durable solutions for the displaced. Drawing from lessons in other conflicts, Grandi argued for sustained political engagement and innovative approaches to alter the conflict’s trajectory.
Concluding his address, Grandi called for principled and pragmatic action to bring a lasting solution to the Rohingya crisis. He reassured that UNHCR is prepared to support efforts in collaboration with Member States, regional bodies, civil society, and refugee-led organizations to raise resources and advance protection, resilience, and solutions for all displaced people from Myanmar.